The Contact Claim Group is a ree and thorium mine located in Lemhi county, Idaho at an elevation of 6,001 feet.
About the MRDS Data:
All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.
Mine Info
Elevation: 6,001 Feet (1,829 Meters)
Commodity: REE, Thorium
Lat, Long: 45.2933, -113.95250
Map: View on Google Maps
Satelite View
MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.
Contact Claim Group MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Contact Claim Group
Secondary: Bell
Secondary: Diamond Creek Area
Commodity
Primary: REE
Primary: Thorium
Secondary: Uranium
Secondary: Gold
Location
State: Idaho
County: Lemhi
District: Eureka District
Land Status
Land ownership: National Forest
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.
Administrative Organization: Salmon National Forest
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Type: Surface/Underground
Ownership
Owner Name: P. Reddington, F. Van Meter, G. E. Shoup
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Method: Geophysical Anomaly
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Salmon River Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Not available
Orebody
Form: TABULAR, PINCH AND SWELL
Structure
Type: L
Description: Thrust And Normal Faulting
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidation, Gouge
Rocks
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: SAMPLES ACROSS 3 - FT. WIDTHS ON MAIN DEPOSIT ON CONTACT GROUP CONTAINS UP TO 0.75% THORIA, UP TO 4% RAE OXIDES
Materials
Ore: Thorite
Ore: Monazite
Gangue: Biotite
Gangue: Specularite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Apatite
Gangue: Magnetite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Rutile
Gangue: Goethite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Microcline
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Malachite
Gangue: Hematite
Comments
Comment (Development): 8 VEINS IDENTIFIED BY BULLDOZER AND HAND-DUG TRENCHES. 25 FT. ADIT EXPLORES LARGER VEIN. AREA IS ABOUT 2.5 MI LONG BY 0.5 MI. WIDE. 12 CONTACT AND 3 BELL CLAIMS.
Comment (Location): UPPER FORKS, DIAMOND CR ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1978)
Comment (Deposit): LENGTH OF MINERALIZED ZONE RANGES FROM TENS TO HUNDREDS OF FEET LONG. VEINS LIE ALONG STRIKE AND COULD BE PART OF SAME VEIN OR SEPARATE VEINS ALONG SAME STRUCTURE.
Comment (Workings): A CUT NEAR CAVED NO. 1 CLAIM ADIT REVEALED SHEAR ZONE TRENDING N 35 DEG E, DIPPING 45 DEG NW
Comment (Geology): VEINS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE IN LEMHI PASS DISTRICT. GOLD OCCURS IN OXIDIZED ZONES ALONG VEINS.
Comment (Commodity): 0.07 AND 0.31% U3O8 IN THE DEPOSITS. HIGHEST RADIOACTIVITY APPEARS RESTRICTED TO JASPEROID - LIKE MATERIAL
Comment (Reserve-Resource): AVERAGE GRADES OF RESERVES AND RESOURCES: 0.21 PERCENT TH OXIDE, 1.22 PERCENT TOTAL RAE OXIDES. THREE VEINS WERE CONSIDERED LARGE ENOUGH TO BE MINED BY STAATZ (1979).
Comment (Deposit): SHEARING IS AS PRONOUNCED IN GRANITIC ROCK AS IN QUARTZITE. QUARTZITES ARE MORE FAVORABLE HOST TO VEINS THAN QUARTZ MONZONITE ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT
References
Reference (Deposit): STAATZ, M.H., 1979, PRINCIPAL THORIUM RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES: GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 805, P. 16-17.
Reference (Deposit): STATTZ, M.H. 1979, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE LEMHI PASS THORIUM DISTRICT, IDAHO AND MONTANA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1049-A, 90 P.
Reference (Deposit): ROSS AND GEORGE, 1976, USBM RES. REPT. 62. 1 SALT LAKE CITY RES CEN 34 P.
Reference (Deposit): 1958 COMPILE IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY PAMPHLET 115
Reference (Deposit): 1958 RECON P. L. WEIS AND OTHERS, BULL. 1074 - B
Reference (Deposit): 1959 GEOLMAP IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY PAMPHLET 118
Reference (Deposit): 1979 RECON STATTZ, M.H., GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 805
Reference (Deposit): ANDERSON, A. L., 1958, URANIUM, THORIUM, COLUMBIUM, AND RARE EARTH DEPOSITS IN THE SALMON REGION, LEMHI COUNTY, IDAHO: IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY PAMPHLET 115, 81 P.
Reference (Deposit): ANDERSON, A. L., 1959, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE NORTH FORK QUADRANGLE, LEMHI COUNTY, IDAHO: IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY PAMPHLET 118, 92 P.
Reference (Deposit): WEIS, P. L., AND OTHERS, 1958, RECONNAISSANCE FOR RADIOACTIVE MINERALS IN WASHINGTON, IDAHO, AND WESTERN MONTANA 1952 - 1955: USGS BULL. 1074 - B, 48 P.
Idaho Gold
"Where to Find Gold in Idaho" looks at the density of modern placer mining claims along with historical gold mining locations and mining district descriptions to determine areas of high gold discovery potential in Idaho. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Idaho.
